By .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and Ernio Hernandez and Robert Viagas
28 Aug 2014

1917 Jerome Kern, Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse open their romantic musical-comedy Leave It To Jane tonight at the Longacre Theatre. The score includes "Just You Watch My Step," "The Siren's Song," "Cleopatterer" and the title number.

1983 Stage actress Jan Clayton dies today at age 66. Born in Tularosa, New Mexico, Clayton made her Broadway debut as Julie Jordan in the original production of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II's Carousel. She also appeared in the 1946 revival of Show Boat.

1985 Actress-writer Ruth Gordon dies today of a stroke at age 88. With such stage successes as Seventeen, Serena Blandish, and Ethan Frome, Gordon was one of Broadway's brightest stars during the 1920s and 1930s. She married stage actor Gregory Kelly who died suddenly in 1927 of a heart attack. She later married again, in 1942, to the playwright Garson Kanin, with whom she collaborated on many projects, including the stage work Years Ago and screenplays for Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy. Notable movie acting appearances include "Where's Poppa?" and "Rosemary's Baby."

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2011 Day two of New York City's shut down under the threat of Hurricaine (later downgraded to Tropical Storm) Irene. All Broadway and most Off-Broadway shows are cancelled, and there is a system-wide shut down of New York City mass transit. Theatre and transit will both resume on Monday, Aug. 29.